Imagine the feeling of lifting off into space and exploring the unknown-- millions of miles above the earth.

If you stop by William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) from now until May, you’ll be able to explore space with a special art exhibit on display that showcases the 50th Anniversary of NASA.

Veteran Astronaut Dr. Bernard Harris knows the feeling well.

At the age of 13, he was one of those kids who was hooked on the space program when he saw the first man walk on the moon.

“Being chosen as an astronaut was one of the most exciting events in my life. It was the fulfillment of a dream,” says Dr. Harris. “Working in microgravity is interesting, fun and much different than here on Earth. Everything floats. It requires specialized training for handling unique equipment and critical knowledge of the differences in life in orbit.”

The series of photos on exhibit in the terminal show how the exploration of space has taught us to view Earth, ourselves, and the universe in a new way. In essence, Earth is just a tiny “blue marble” in the cosmos.

The extraordinary photos remind Dr. Harris of his 18 years as an astronaut. He’s logged more than 438 hours and traveled over 7.2million miles in space. On his second flight, Dr. Harris conducted the first telemedicine conference from space with the Mayo Clinic and became the “First African American to walk in Space.”

“As NASA celebrates our 50th anniversary, I must first applaud the many pioneers, scientists, engineers and others who have made it possible for a dreamer like me to travel into space,” adds Dr. Harris. “The world only sees the Astronauts, not realizing that there are thousands of people behind the scenes making everything possible. This country and the world are on the verge of expanding our knowledge in a dramatic way through our exploration of space. This space program is critically important for America’s future.”